Just over the wall is the main road. I can hear the occasional grind of a motor bike, a pleasant beep of a bus, the clippity-clop of a horse pulling a small, covered, upholstered cart -- my choice for getting around Bagan.

Just across the road is the long promenade to the Swezigon Paya (Pagoda or Temple).

The day-long boat ride down the Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay to Bagan...smooth, picturesque, uneventful.

Except for one stop along the way at Pakokku. Local women selling large, bright, hand woven cotton cloth. As the boat began to back away from the dock, the women became more agitated and started tossing their beautiful weavings to the passengers at the railing of the boat.

Back to Mandalay for two day's visit to the Ancient Cities. Day one - Inwa, Sagang, Amarpura. Day Two - Mingun.

Inwa. Nanmyin - a 27m high masonry watchtower. This one I climbed. Bagaya Kyaung - the entire monastery is built of teak and supported by 267 teak posts, the largest measures 18m in height and 2.7m in circumference.

After two days in Mandalay, I headed for the hills and Pyin U Lwin, the stage coach ride (see "Transportation Edition") and the Botanical Garden.

"Colonel May used Turkish prisoners of war to develop this 96-hectare Botanical Garden during WW I. This garden features wide expanses of manicured grass, large flower beds 20 hectares of natural forest with walking trails, a rose garden, an orchid house, a small stupa on an islet in a pond and several other ponds."